Winky Dinky Dogs

A tad expensive for hot dogs but definitely a level and a half above Caspers. + great service

Was just looking for a place to have lunch while at work happened to look this place up and thought I'd give it a shot the service was great I gotMac cheese hot dog and garlic fries I will definitely be coming back here again I will say the prices are a little high in my opinion but when getting great food worth the money

Kristin A. Wilson

Stopped by Winky Dinky Dogs today for the first time and immediately met the owner, Tierney, who was so warm and welcoming. He walked me through the menu and made a few recommendations — I ended up going with the The World Famous Dog (as is) and a side of mac and cheese. I also got a taste of the smoked ribs, and let me tell you — everything was so flavorful and clearly made with quality ingredients. The hospitality really stood out. Tierney’s kindness and enthusiasm made the whole experience even better. It’s always a good sign when the food and the people both leave an impression. Highly recommend checking out Winky Dinky Dog if you’re in the area — and it’s exciting to hear they’re expanding! 🙌🏽

Hortencia D.

Came for the name state for the wieners! I walked over for lunch because honestly, how could you not check out a place called Winky Dinky? Left totally satisfied with my dogs- They were chefs kiss 🌭💋 The staff was awesome and I'm pretty sure we met the owner one of delightful slightly suspiciously happy surprise

Roberto Larios

This is hands down the best hotdog I've had in years! To make it even better, they also sell burgers, oxtails, and the best gumbo I’ve had outside of Nola. They have a great variety of options for their hotdogs, both mild and spicy; and even vegan dogs. They use high quality ingredients and grill their hot dogs, which gives them the exact flavor you'd get from a cookout. Their sauces are incredible, the prices are absolutely fair for the quality of food they offer, and the staff puts a lot of effort and clearly takes pride in making you feel confortable. The best part is that they have so many options that I can safely say that regardless of your taste or mood, they will make a dish that will leave you satisfied. If you want the gumbo (and you do!) come in a Friday or Saturday

Crystal

Support family owned, local business!!! I like it a lot! Vegan friendly-they prep and cook on separate griddles than the meats. Oh! They make their own dogs too! They have a large variety of options. Can handle large orders on the fly. Our team loves the gumbo, doggies and me of course the vegan. Great service.

StJames Project

I will start by saying, "Don't take the reviews of the haters seriously." Hands down, Winky Dink Dogs is the BEST!!! They serve more than hot dogs; Their menu includes oxtails, gumbo, turkey wings, and banana pudding. When was the last time you had that many choices on a menu? The prices are in line with the downtown area of Oakland. I will definitely add this place to my list of eateries when visiting Oakland.

Lesley Nicole

This burger was amazing! Everything was so fresh, but the garlic fries were beyond tasty, fresh, and hot. They were so good I didn't take a picture. Lol

Konstantin Dubovitskiy

A tad expensive for hot dogs but definitely a level and a half above Caspers. + great service

R M

Was just looking for a place to have lunch while at work happened to look this place up and thought I'd give it a shot the service was great I gotMac cheese hot dog and garlic fries I will definitely be coming back here again I will say the prices are a little high in my opinion but when getting great food worth the money

Aaronette King (Chef AK)

Lots of options besides hot dogs. There is literally something for everyone here.

Sharonda M

10/10!!!! Stop what you’re doing & head over to Winky Dinky’s!! This was the best VEGAN HOT DOG I’ve ever had. Service was quick (11:50a on a Wednesday) Ambience was giving bay vibes w/ old school tunes on the TV. The owner is super cool & friendly.

Bryan Hanbury

Hot dogs are hella good! Got the original dog and the chilli dog. Both were really flavorful and the aioli used is amazing. The garlic pork rubs are good as well.

Growing up in the Crenshaw district of Los Angeles in the 80s and 90s, just saying “Winky Dinky Dog” was one of those nuanced cultural IYKTYK gems that made black folks smile thanks to actor/director Robert Townsend and comedian, John Witherspoon. So when I noticed a WDD in my Temescal neighborhood, I had to check it out. This afternoon, we had the Original Dog, the Grape/Jerk Dog (Beef and the Chicken versions), and the World Famous Hot Dog (Beef & Vegan versions). The food was great— and we’ll definitely return. What stood out was that the dogs (including the vegan) were cooked to perfection— well marinated, veggies grilled nicely, and the meat was not dry at all. So, yes. We will be back. Thank you, Tyranny and WDD♥️

I was guided here by a series of mishaps - the stars all aligned. I needed catering for a last minute lunch for 18 people and they were able to accommodate with no hesitation. The smoked ribs and chicken were delicious - people had seconds and thirds. Everyone was asking where we got the bbq from - highly recommend. We will for sure be coming back.

Svetlana Cherches

I was guided here by a series of mishaps - the stars all aligned. I needed catering for a last minute lunch for 18 people and they were able to accommodate with no hesitation. The smoked ribs and chicken were delicious - people had seconds and thirds. Everyone was asking where we got the bbq from - highly recommend. We will for sure be coming back.

atomly lee

Love this place and can't recommend it enough. Get some sausages and take them to the park to eat on a beautiful day and soak up the Oakland vibes. They even have great vegan options!

Ryan Keys

Came with a friend and split the oxtails with rice and the smash burger. The oxtails were incredible. Fall-apart tender, deeply seasoned, and the crispy peppers and onions took it over the top. The burger was grilled outside and packed with smoky barbecue flavor. This place is officially in my rotation. Blown away.

John Mac

Although this was one of the best hotdogs I've had in my life, it is really justify spending $15 on a single dog ): The service was great; I was brought pickled jalapenos/carrots at no extra charge; You guys should consider doing a 20% off on certain days; I would definitely be back more often then.

Why Four stars for the gumbo I had, it was a little grainy. Not sure if it was from the shrimp or seasoning but it was definitely good. Definitely will go back and get something else

Donna Davis

Why Four stars for the gumbo I had, it was a little grainy. Not sure if it was from the shrimp or seasoning but it was definitely good. Definitely will go back and get something else

Awfully friendly folks. Hospitable and welcoming. I ordered a regular hot dog for my two year old son. Which was a perfectly fine dog, and eaten with gusto. But the sticker shock for what looked and tasted like a slightly above average dog was insane. Additionally, it’s a little deceptive that the prices for dishes aren’t listed on the menu on the main site. A little transparency would be nice. I’d love to try them again but I don’t think I can go back. The price doesn’t justify the product. EDIT- For clarity, a regular hot dog is $12.50, before tax and tip 😬

Adam Harrison

Awfully friendly folks. Hospitable and welcoming. I ordered a regular hot dog for my two year old son. Which was a perfectly fine dog, and eaten with gusto. But the sticker shock for what looked and tasted like a slightly above average dog was insane. Additionally, it’s a little deceptive that the prices for dishes aren’t listed on the menu on the main site. A little transparency would be nice. I’d love to try them again but I don’t think I can go back. The price doesn’t justify the product.

I had a mixed experience at Winky Dinky Dogs. We were helped by a white cashier that was kinda rude, insisting that if my friend paid faster he could drop the chicken, as if there was a rush, when there was only myself, my friend, and a couple in the restaurant. We decided to dine in once we saw the owner walk in. The white cashier only checked in with the white couple next to us, repeatedly asking if everything tasted good and if they needed anything. He did not once ask my friend (he’s African American) or me (I’m Latina) if we needed anything or if the food was okay. This made my friend and I feel a little unwelcomed, especially since we were sitting right across from this couple. On the contrary, the owner was very nice to us and brought out some house-made sauces that we requested, which made our experience a little better. However, we still felt that the white cashier was not attentive to us and was rude. Your staff should work on their communication and customer service skills and should be comfortable serving people of color especially in Oakland. The food was okay, nothing over the top, and the prices are steep. The prices aren’t listed on their menu so when you’re ready to order you have to ask the cashier how much things cost. It would be more convenient to list menu items with the pricing. 7.50 for Kool-Aid is crazy when I could whip up a pitcher at home for half the cost. I would like to come back to try their hot dogs despite our experience I am willing to give this place another try because the owner seems very polite. Hopefully next time we will have a better experience.

We were really looking forward to trying out a new place that had Vegan food and an Oxtail dish. We tried both and they fell short of our expectations. The place is not really set up for eating in the restaurant but, to pick up to go. The Oxtail was served in a plastic to go dish which was warm for 5 minutes. The Oxtails had good flavor and almost falling off the bone but, that was brought down by the gravy that was gelatinous.

Jasmine Gaona

I had a mixed experience at Winky Dinky Dogs. We were helped by a white cashier that was kinda rude, insisting that if my friend paid faster he could drop the chicken, as if there was a rush, when there was only myself, my friend, and a couple in the restaurant. We decided to dine in once we saw the owner walk in. The white cashier only checked in with the white couple next to us, repeatedly asking if everything tasted good and if they needed anything. He did not once ask my friend (he’s African American) or me (I’m Latina) if we needed anything or if the food was okay. This made my friend and I feel a little unwelcomed, especially since we were sitting right across from this couple. On the contrary, the owner was very nice to us and brought out some house-made sauces that we requested, which made our experience a little better. However, we still felt that the white cashier was not attentive to us and was rude. Your staff should work on their communication and customer service skills and should be comfortable serving people of color especially in Oakland. The food was okay, nothing over the top, and the prices are steep. The prices aren’t listed on their menu so when you’re ready to order you have to ask the cashier how much things cost. It would be more convenient to list menu items with the pricing. 7.50 for Kool-Aid is crazy when I could whip up a pitcher at home for half the cost. I would like to come back to try their hot dogs despite our experience I am willing to give this place another try because the owner seems very polite. Hopefully next time we will have a better experience.

Shahriar Allen

Cute place tastey food. Stopped in before a meeting. Huge portions. Only a few seats inside and out.

Why 2 stars only ?..These are for the new location on Telegraph. So...let me just say how disappointing it is to see that the very beautiful mural, featuring Black History Heroes, was smeared over with a foolish looking silly cartoon *hotdog*. Yet...this is a Black owned business. Absurd. What were they thinking ??...keep your funky hotdogs then.We will not be patronizing this business. They should have known that our neighborhoods here really loved this mural, and the most important message it conveyed. A clownish hotdog graphic instead ?? Seriously ??..ugh.

T. Matthews (Anistazi Metal 94609)

Why 2 stars only ?..These are for the new location on Telegraph. So...let me just say how disappointing it is to see that the very beautiful mural, featuring Black History Heroes, was smeared over with a foolish looking silly cartoon *hotdog*. Yet...this is a Black owned business. Absurd. What were they thinking ??...keep your funky hotdogs then.We will not be patronizing this business. They should have known that our neighborhoods here really loved this mural, and the most important message it conveyed. A clownish hotdog graphic instead ?? Seriously ??..ugh.

I’d rather walk 5 seconds to Jack in the Box next door than pay $13 for a hot dog. And it’s takeout — why are they rudely asking for a tip? I guarantee this place is going out of business soon. Who pays $13 for a hot dog?